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[Solved] Help with imported object data

Level 2
Joined
May 31, 2025
Messages
4
Hi there,

I'm new to map making and currently working on a map I have not made myself, rather trying to improve. The map is Hell vs Heaven VM 8.2 and I had a few goals when deciding on this map. First, I loved this game and still play occasionally to this day, and one day I thought, "wouldn't it be cool if we could combine these cool items?". So that was my initial motive. The next was to go through some of the triggers and try to learn mapmaking from scratch.

Now of course the map is protected, and after a few attempts at deprotection (although I managed to, there wasn't much I could actually do on the deprotected map) I eventually gave up and started over from scratch. So far happy with my progress, and eager to carry on. However... One thing that has been a huge deterrent was having to remake all of the abilities and units from the original game, a task that for me that would be very time consuming (and currently less interesting than setting up the triggers). So instead, I was able to export the object data from the original map and import it to my version of the map. Success!.... Or so I thought, which leads me to writing this post.

A big problem I've run into by importing the units, is that when I test the map, the imported heroes' abilities get completely scrambled, and I mean absolutely nothing normal about it. For example, Kael has Immobilize, Feedback, Slow, Phoenix and Attribute Bonus - When I test the map, the ability icons show Devotion Aura, Entangling Roots, Resurrection, War Stomp, Evasion - which includes these icons' incorrect descriptions.
I've tried to change ability skins in object editor, and it seems to work for the ability once learned, but not when in the selection menu. I'm mainly just wondering why this has happened, how to fix the selection abilities to show the correct icons, or if there's a quicker way to fix all of this / another way to get this done so I don't have to deal with these issues.

TLDR: I imported object data, abilities for imported heroes not showing correctly when testing map, looking for some help!!!
 
Welcome! :D

When you exported the object data, did you do it through the World Editor (e.g. through the Object Editor -> File -> Export All Object Data) or did you do it through an MPQ editor? (e.g. by exporting the *.w3u, *.w3a, etc.)

Would you be able to attach the object data file here, and then give an example of a unit to look at and what abilities you expect it to have? (e.g. the Kael example is good, but if you give info on what abilities you expect it to have we can help find the discrepancy with the data) Typically the object data is just stored as a list of IDs and modifications (compared to the original object that unit/ability/whatever is based on), but there are slight differences in how certain fields are stored in Reforged (i.e. string fields). I'm not sure if that is causing some of the problems, but I can help take a look.
 
Level 2
Joined
May 31, 2025
Messages
4
Thank you!

Export was done via WE since it was easy when I finally realized it could be done. So here's the file I exported from the original (deprotected) map and then imported into my version.

For a proper example, we'll use [O001]Kungfu Master (The Panda)
Expected abilities/icons are:
[A000] Stat Bonus [Blizzard] [Wind Walk]
[A038] Breath of Fire [Critical Strike]
[A03F] Drunken Haze (Hero) [Mirror Image]
[A01U] Critical Hit (Hero) [Earthquake] [Bladestorm]
[A028] Avatar (Ultimate) [Earthquake] [Bladestorm]
All of these are located in Abilities > Neutral Passive > Heroes -and- Special > Heroes
Currently testing, I've listed the icons appearing when in the Hero Abilities menu in red. Upon learning, some of these changed again (yellow), and all of them automatically use the descriptions for the abilities the icons are displaying. It might be worthy of noting that the abilities themselves still behave as they should (albeit breath of fire and drunken haze have no visible art) EXCEPT stat bonus - which has some complete mix up where it becomes an active spell.

If there's any other specific information you need or I failed to provide, please let me know :)
 

Attachments

  • hvh objects.w3o
    450.1 KB · Views: 1
Got it, thanks!

I tried importing the object data into a blank map and I wasn't able to reproduce what was happening on your end. If I had to guess, something went awry with the import process, so the "Art - Icon - Normal" and "Art - Icon - Research" fields got a bit scrambled (but from what I can tell, I don't see anything wrong with the data you attached). Did you happen to have custom objects in the object editor already in your map when you imported the "hvh objects.w3o"? Because I vaguely remember there being some weird issues with that, so people generally import the object data on a clean slate and then work from that. Also, are you modding on the latest patch? (2.0.2.22796, you can see it listed in the Battle.Net desktop app below the "Play" button)

If you are on the latest patch, try downloading the attached map below and see if the panda has the abilities and icons that you expect. If it looks correct, maybe try attaching the map you're working on and I can try taking a look to see if I notice anything suspicious. (if you don't want to attach it here, you can send me a private message with a pastebin link)
 

Attachments

  • HvH_Sample.w3m
    156.5 KB · Views: 1
Level 2
Joined
May 31, 2025
Messages
4
Great, appreciate you testing this!

To answer your question, I did have custom objects already when I imported, however I assumed it would all get deleted as the prompt mentions overwriting the data or something along those lines. Being also on the latest patch, you proved it wasn't an issue with the imported file, so what I might try doing instead is taking the map before I imported the data, delete all custom objects and try importing again.

If there's success in that, I will post here again and consider it solved. If not, I will send you a pm with the map :) I will warn you though, the triggers area is probably quite a mess and I have no doubt a lot of them could be "improved" lol.
 
Level 2
Joined
May 31, 2025
Messages
4
Success! Though using a previous version and deleting custom object data still caused issues. Instead, I started a fresh map, imported the object data first and then went on to import everything else slowly but surely. The hero abilities are now behaving as expected and I can continue from where I left off.

Thank you very much PurgeandFire, for the assistance and quick replies! Saved me a headache or 12.
 
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